An off beat look at Indonesian and South East Asian football from the terraces or the pub

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Friday, May 09, 2014

PSM Players Threaten Strike Action

In the wake of the recent APPI (Indonesia Players Union) legal conference in Jakarta earlier this week, evidence there is still much work to be done on the ground.

PSM players are reportedly threatening strike action over unpaid salaries, which they have not received for almost three months.

With PSM second bottom of the eastern conference of the ISL, just two wins and three draws from their opening 10 games, wags might suggest the players have been on strike for most of the season!

Coach Rudy Keltjes seems unperturbed. 'I came to Makassar to coach. If players want to miss training, what can I say?' Which really sums up the role of the coach in this part of the world, compared to say, a SAF, Wenger or Mourinho.

PSM have been forced to play their home games in Surabaya this season, which means the club have had to fork out cash on facilities in the East Java city and play in front of an almost empty stadium since the ISL deemed their usual stadium in South Sulawesi not up to standard.

When they take these decisions, surely the ISL has a duty to find a better alternative...something a bit closer to home. They can't just say 'oh, you can't play in Makassar, go to Surabaya' and wash their hands of the consequences.